The Daily 5 in high school sports: Checking the football record books

Published 5:24 pm, Tuesday, October 3, 2017

St. Joseph’s Jared Mallozzi has 27 career touchdown receptions, including seven this season.

St. Joseph’s Jared Mallozzi has 27 career touchdown receptions, including seven this season.

Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media

The Daily 5 in high school sports: Checking the football record books

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With the high school football season reaching the halfway point, a quick look at the state’s official “high school record book” brings back a reminder of many of the state’s great players. It also dishes out some interesting tidbits and players we might have forgotten about.

Ansonia has produced its fair share of record-holders (Arkeel Newsome, Alex Thomas, Montrell Dobbs), but what about Kenny Tinney from 2003? He still holds the record for most punt returns for a touchdown in a season (seven). That one season also gave him the career mark as well.

In the last 10 years, Fairfield County has produced some of the best kickers in the state. Paul Tricarico of Staples (2014), Santiago Cuartas of Staples (2009) and Peter Swindell of New Canaan (2013) share the record for most field goals in a season record with 12 while Christian Garcia of Norwalk (11 in 2007) is fourth.

The Ruhnke brothers of Brien McMahon found their way into the record book within two years of each other. In 2001, Chris Ruhnke tied a state record with 32 tackles against Greenwich. Two years later, Matt Ruhnke notched 28 stops in the Senators’ rivalry game against Norwalk.

Last season, St. Joseph wide receiver Jared Mallozzi cracked the top 10 for most touchdowns receptions in a season with 20, tying him for eighth on the list. He has seven touchdowns this season, putting him on the list for most career TD passes caught as well, with 27.

Two of the oldest records listed in the book come via Stamford, and no Rippowam’s Bobby Valentine wasn’t one of them. (Though he’s mentioned plenty of times in the book). Instead, Earl Gillespie (1913) and Gaynor Brennan (1920) both kicked 12 point-after-touchdowns in a single game against Paterson, N.J., and St. Francis Prep of Brooklyn, respectively.